Tentering machine speed control



Oct. 23, 1945, A." w. KuzmsKl 2,387,333

TENTERING MACHINE SPEED C ONTR OL Filed March 9, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1- INVENTOR, Adolph Mlmzinslri,

A TTOAA/EX Ga. 23, 1945. A; w. KUZINSKI TENTERING MACHINE SPEED CONTROL Filed March' 9, 1945 2 SheetsSheet 2 v v v v mlsmv nmm v v C INVENTOR, Add 1km Kuzimfki.

A TTOR/VE'X Patented Oct. 23, 1945 UNITED STATE 23387333 TENTERING AoH nE SPEEDI CONTROL Adolph .w; Kuzinski, Passaic, N. J: ApplicationiMarchQ, 1945,; Serial N 0. 581,916 s claims. g on: n47) This winvention-i relates a to machines for-smultaneously advancing, and" transversely;- stretching sheet material; as in a known machine for ten.- tering, afabric, and particularly intthe case-where .in the normal operationof the machine success sive. lengths of. the. material are-madei to; under;-

gothe operation with a. little: interruption and delay as possible, and (as-in the-case-of. artentere ing. machine) the speed. of the. machine 'hasto basic-weddown when a length" or piece-enters, in; order to insure. proper incorporation: of; the same. in the control of the-machine and speeded upiwhen suchlengtn is aboutzto-leave the machine, in order in such case topermit the-length to be formed into a. roll,.. which latter is usually a. manual operation; With respect to. such normalloperation the slowspeed, once started: for.- the deiivery of. alengthis maintained for: the enteriing. of.the.succeeding1 length.-that: is.-.to. say... the high speed and slow speeds alternatar usually without: interruption of either, unless. of] course, some unforeseen circumstance necessitates. such interruption. i

Heretofore the. speed-control: for such: normal operation has been accomplished-manually, with a considerable expense ofilabor and-time; Accord; ingl tothis invention. such. speedecontrol dsueffec e d automatically; Further lithe operationiissto be. abnormal; or the: machine; operated atslow speed,.the invention provides for. drivingzthe ma chine: only at slow speed. Again; as willsappear, the Operator can, when the. system has-been set for; normal operation, determine the speed 1 above the. minimum, or slow, at. which. the. machine is driven, which. speed will continue. until: the. paru ticular piece thenbeing. treated..is-.about-to"leave the machine. The invention also-provides for certain signal devices for: indicating. to. the op,- erator during the normal operation-.certain-com' ditions incident to suchoperationandalsafor automatic steaming ofthe material being treated whensuch material, as in the case. of: atcntering; machine, isa fabric.

In the drawings:

Eigzut is a generally. diagrammatic view, in

plan, oi a tenteringmachine and a variabler-speed drive therefor;

around a'pairof sprocket-wheels 31 to be driven in; the-direction to cause the chain to advance the cloth as perthe arrow'shownin Fig.1; as from: a shaft 4 itself to bedriven at. differential speedsfrom-any' type of master motor 5 through a drive; in this example being what is know-mas a. Reevesdrive and, including a variable-speed transmission comprising parts l'08-6.l.D.- -9 constructed asfollows: A shaft '6, journaled in the structure I, through a belt 8 drivesral shaft 9; each such shaft havingsplined thereto a: pair of pulleys I-Or directly engaged. by the bolt. When the pulleyson shaft (iare moved apart. andihose on"shaft 9 -aremoved. together shaft '9 is rotated at a: slower speed than when this-relation of the pulleys of the two pairsis reversed; asappear ingin Fig. 1:the speed: of shaft 9: would be slow. Abelt-arrd-pulley: connection H transmitsrota:- tionfrom the'master motor to .shaft 6, and a sproclret-and-chain connection Ha transmitsirotation fromshaft 9- to shaft 4, which through gearing 4a drives the chains. Levers l 2, each rul crumeddn structure-1 at Ma between its ends andfihaving its. motion 1imited,as at IZb'in'each direction, effect? the setting of the; pulleys of either pairtoward and those of theother pair from eacnother when saidl'evers are moved by a rotary reversible element: here formed as ascrow I3: connected with levers i2 so. as to rotate. in

till

purpose, to-wit. as including two endless chains.

I (only. partially. shown. in- Fig. l) of clips 2 equipped with pivoted: iaws-2a (Fig.5)- so as to grip. the clothc to betentered atdts-margins: each chain beingv guided by. rails I41: and extending unisontherewith, asrby having reverse threadings 13a. in threaded engagement with therespective. levers. The screw is rotated. through gearing in a gear-box M, by the-rotary.- driven m-emberof a three-phase electric reversible mo:- tor i5- having'the conductors It; i

The electrical energy for driving. motor I 5- in either: direction is derivedfrom thesourceprovided by one of three service lines; lil'-l9-2ll when a master switch ll '(Fig; 2.) isclosed; each of which-lines isforked to provideapair otter minals 58a; 19a and 20a, all six. terminals-:being here arranged as shown. or so thatitheyare' alined and onefromeach pair goes tolform one group and the'othersanother group.

A main power line 2| extends. from one terminal, asl8a. in one grouotoaterminal- O and has a brea-k.2-l a. therein to=beaclosed aswill ap pear; Two branch main return lines 22 and 23 respectively. have; terminals and S on, opposite sides of terminal 0.. At 2tv is a control switch movable to close the break between either O.-F or 0--S." Branch line 22 extends fromiter-minal F tonne-10f the,forkedportions-other than. the onerhavingeither terminal 18a, as-here a. forked portion having. a. terminal [90... and has aprimary break. at) 22c and. a secondary break 2212 and. containsa,v magnetic solenoid as. a. coil 25.

whose coreon armature 2.5a. forms. with pivoted forked portions other than the one having either terminal l8a, or here to a forked portion having a terminal I9a, and has a break therein at 23a and a solenoid coil 21 whose core or armature 210. forms with pivoted blades 28' aknown' cir cult-closer: (When in the appended claims I refer to the breaks 22a and 22b and coil 25 of line 22, or the break 23a and the coil 21 of line 23,

as arranged in succession I mean in theorder here stated.) A subsidiary power line 33 leads to motor l and two subsidiary returnlines 293l lead from motor [5, and branch lines 30a29a 3la respectively connect said three lines with the circuit-closer blades 23," while branch-lines 30b-29b--3lb respectively connect said three lines with circuit-closer blades 28. Lin 2| has near the break 2Ia a by-pass line 32 extending to line 23 and having a break which, when closed by a circuit-closer 35 (as will appear) while break 2la remains open, causes the current to by-pass terminals O -F or OS. (It is to be understood that, in any way not shown, the armatures 25w2la are normally held retracted or, as shown, in the state in which the blades -2Ei28 are in open position.)

When in the said normal operation a piece of cloth a enters the machine it is to move first at a slow rate (to insure effective gripping thereof by the chain clips first approached); it is then to move at normal-or fast rates; and finally, as its travel through the machine is about to terminate, to move at a slow rate to permit winding of the cloth into a rolled mass, usually controlled by hand. (As already noted, with respect to a succession of lengths of cloth to be treated, the machine alternately is driven slow and fast, the slow speed being for the delivery of one piece and for the entry of the next succeeding piece.) Hence there are opposed to the ends of one lever l2 two circuit-closers 33 and 34 (normally held in closing position by springs 3311-3411) for closing the breaks at 221) and 23a. In the position of such lever as shown in Fig. 1 circuit-closer 33 is closed and circuit-closer 34 open; in its reverse position circuit-closer 33 will be opened and circuit-closer 34 closed. With break 226 closed by circuit-closer 33 complete closing of circuit 2 l22 will cause motor l5 to set the Reeves drive from the position shown, or now for high-speed driving; with break 23a closed by circuit-closer 34, complete closing of circuit 2l-23 will cause motor l5 to set back the Reeves drive or for slow speed driving.

In Fig. 2 is shown diagrammatically a lever 35 having an upstanding arm 35a in the path of the entering cloth a and forming a circuit-closer active either to close the break at 2 la and open the break in branch line 32, or vice versa, when the lever is respectively depressed by the cloth or left free by it to rise, as by gravity and as shown in a particular form of such circuit-closer to be described. This circuit-closeradjoins the input (right-hand) end of the machine, and near the output end is a somewhat similar circuit-closer 3B for closing the break at 2211. V

In respect to the normal operation (in which, according to the appendant claims, the control switch is assumed to maintain closed the break between Oand F) it will facilitate-an understanding thereof to note as follows: First, when the transmission of the variable-speed drive is moved with the circuit also otherwise closed, the next succeeding movement of the transmission from the position in Fig, 1 will cause the speed to increase from slow toward maximum, opening break 22b and ultimately closing break 23a'and the return movement will involve reduction of the speed to slow, opening break 23a and closing break 221). Secondly, that the closing of either of such breaks causes rotation of the reversible rotary means l3l4l5 in one direction for shifting said transmission to the position for slow-speed driving and in the reverse direction to the position forhigh-speed driving, i. e., thereupon respectively to energize the coil 25 or 21, and so cause the respective circuit-closers formed by armature 25a or 2111 to connect the motor [5 through lines 29-303| and their branches with the energy source. Finally, that the circuitclosers 35 and 36 respectively cooperate, as will appear, with the circuit-closers 33 and 34 for the breaks 22b and 23a. for the energizing of the coils.

Now assume that the cloth is entering the machine at a slow rate, to wit, as will appear at the end of this description of the operation, because the piece of cloth last treated left circuit-closer 35 in the ,full-line position of Fig. 1, with the break in by-pass line 32 closed and break 2Ia and also break 22a open. The entering piece will depress circuit-closer 35, opening the break in line 32 and closing the break at 2111. Notwithstanding break 2la is now closed, until the piece closes break 22a the circuit via the main power line 2| and main return line 22 will be open, though closed at 22b. But when the piece, while maintaining circuit-closer 35 in said position, also causes circuit-closer 36 to close the break at 22a coil 25 will be energized and its armature 25a moved to connect lines 2930--3I via their branches with the energy source for the shifting of the transmission of the variable-speed drive to the high-speed position. This will continue until the trailing end of the piece frees circuitcloser 35, thus to open the break at 21a and close the break in by-pass line 32. When the by-pass line is thus closed the circuit is via the main power line, such by-pass line and the main return line 23 and, since the break 23a was left closed by the preceding movement of the transmission, the coil 21 will now be energized and its armature moved to connect lines 2930-3| via their branch-lines with theenergy source for driving motor l5 reversely and hence returning the transmission to its initial position. When the next piece enters, circuit-closer 35 being still in the position in which it was left by the preceding piece, or as per the full-line showing, it will continue at slow speed until it depresses, first, that circuit-closer and thereupon circuitcloser 35.

Further, having moved the control switch to close the break between 0 and F, as soon as the breaks at 2 la and 22a are closed by the cloth and while the transmission is undergoing movement from its slow or minimum speed position toward its maximum speed position, the operator can check such movement and cause the normal speed of the machine to remain at any speed above such minimum speed. Thus, suppose the maximum speed to be 50 yards per minute and the selected speed is to be 25 yards per minute. While the transmission is undergoing movement toward its maximum-speed position the operator, when the 2 5-yards-per-minute normal speed is attained (determined by some speed indicator or the operators judgment), can shift red light.

the control switch to contact only at thus deenergizing the coils and permitting their armatures to retract to interrupt the connections of the circuit with the energy source. By slow speed, I therefore mean the minimum speed, and

, by high speed any speed between such minimum and maximum speed attainable by the transmission.

Again, the operator, with the system operating at normal speed can shift the control switch to close the break between 0 and S and reduce the speed to slow.

The circuit so far referred to is shown by heavy lines. Desirably there are other circuit lines, shown light, for accessory expedients, as will now appear:

A return line 31 extends to branch line 23 relatively aft ofsolenoid. 21 and to it from line 2| extend branch-lines 38 and 39. Branch line 38 contains a solenoid 40 having its core 40a connected to a diagrammatically shown steam-valve 4| for permitting, when opened, discharge of steam to the cloth. Branch-line 39 contains a signal 42, as a green light. When the circuit via 2l-22 is closed at 2 la solenoid 40 and signal 42 are energized, so. that the cloth is steamed and the operator is informed that the break between 0 and F is closed for norma1 operation.

From line 2| extends a line 43 having a branchline 43a, with a break therein to be closed by solenoid core 25a, and a branch-line 43b, with a breaktherein to be closed ,by solenoid core 21a, both such branch-lines extending to a return line 44 which is connected to branch-line 39 relatively aft of signal 42 and contains a Signal 45, as a Such signal, when energized, indicates that the speed has been increased to high, i. e., that, both of the breaks at Ma and 22a being now closed, motor l has been energized to cause the Reeves drive transmission to shift tohigh-speed driving position.

Circuit-closer 35 is shown (Figs. 3 and 4) as pivoted on a horizontal axis in a box 35a and as including a transparent tube 35b containing mercury M and being normally held in the position shown by the weight of a depending arm 35c and resting against a stop 35d. In the normal state of said circuit closer (Fig. 4) the break Zla (Fig. 2) in line 2| is closed by the mercury; when it is depressed by the cloth a the break in the branch-line 32 will be closed by the mercury. When either such break is closed by such circuit closer the other is of course allowed to open, The equipment including circuit-closer 36 may be the same as that shown in Figs. 4 and 5 excepting that such circuit-closer is adapted to close only one break. Such equipment may be in any way supported in fixed relation to the path of the cloth, not here shown but as on the frame of the tentering machine.

In the appended claims I treat the main power line and main return lines as normall joined or connected here by the switch 24 being in closing relation to F and O, or as shown, to witfor What I have termed the normal operation.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim is:

l. The combination, with a machine for simultaneously lengthwise. advancing and transversely stretching sheet material, a master motor, and a drive for said machine operatively interposed between the same and the motor and including a variable-speed transmission movable alternately to two positions in one of which said transmission drives said machine at low speed and in the other at high speed, of means to form, with an electric energy source, an electric circuit, said means including a main power line having a break therein and a pair of main return lines one of which has, arranged in succession from said main power line, a primary break, a secondary break and a magnetic coil, and the other of which has, arranged in succession from said main power line, a break and a magnetic coil, said main power line having, between the break therein and the juncture of the said main return lines therewith, a bypass line extending to the second-named main return line and having a break, a reversible rotary means, including a three-phase electric motor having its driven member operatively connected with said transmission, for moving the latter to one or the other of its said positions when such reversible rotary means is respectively rotated in one direction or the other, a subsidiary power line extendbranches to be connected to said main power line, two subsidiary return lines extending from the latter motor and each having a pair of branches to be connected to at least one main return line, means, including armatures for the respective coils, movable by the latter to electrically connect said subsidiary line branches with the main power line and the branches of the subsidiary return lines with at least one main return line, independent means respectively to close said. secondary break in the first-named main return line and the break in the second-named main return line, said independent means being normally urged into closing relation to the latter breaks but arranged to be displaced by said transmission alternately out of said relation on movement of the transmission alternately in one direction and the other, a circuit-closer normally urged into closing relation to the break in said by-pass line but arranged to be moved by the advancing material into closing relation to the break in the main power line,

and a circuit-closer, aft of the last-named circuitcloser relatively to the advance of said material, normally urged out of but movable by the advancing material into closing relation to said primary break in the first-named return line.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 characterized by the same also including means to interrupt said circuit anterior to the breaks in said main return lines.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1 characterized by the same also including means to switch the current flowing from the main power line to the second-named main return line.

4. The combination set forth in claim 1 characterized by the same also including a line itself including a signal and extending from said main power line, relatively aft of the break therein, to one main return line, relatively aft of the coil in the latter line.

5. The combination set forth in claim 1 characterized by the same also including, with a line itself including a magnetic coil and extending from said main power line, relatively aft of the break therein, to one main return line, relatively aft of such coil, a steam-discharge valve, and an armature movable by such coil and controlling said valve.

ADOLPH W. KUZINSKI. 

